TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — A sentencing hearing for James Staten, owner of Olympus Pools, is set for Wednesday at 3 p.m. in Pasco County.
Staten was found guilty of fraud in March, having been accused of stealing more than $1.3 million from his customers and leaving unfinished pools.
Staten was convicted on 35 of the 36 felony charges against him, comprising multiple instances of grand theft, contractor fraud, misuse of construction funds, engaging in a fraudulent scheme, and aggravated white-collar crime.
Staten was accused of misappropriating $1.3 million from his clients to support his personal lifestyle, neglecting to complete their swimming pools. Prosecutors contended that he continued to accept payments even when he was aware that the pools were unlikely to be constructed.
In six Tampa Bay counties, hundreds of pools remained incomplete, leaving many with unfilled holes in their backyards, forcing homeowners to spend additional money to complete their pool projects.
It took the jury close to four hours to reach a verdict after listening to testimony over the course of 10 days. The only count Staten was found not guilty of was one of the grand theft charges. Staten could face anywhere between 20 to 285 years in prison, based on sentencing guidelines.
In spring 2021, our Better Call Behnken investigation got the attention of authorities who then started investigations of their own.
One of the first to call Consumer Investigator Shannon Behnken for help was Toni Rosier, known as count number 27, in the court case. Rosier said that while this verdict won’t get their money back, it’s justice.
“He was stealing money from a lot of us,” she said. “He needs to pay those consequences.”
The sentencing is set for 3 p.m., and each side has asked for two hours to present their stance on what the verdict should be. Sentencing will be decided by the judge. Sentencing guidelines call for a minimum of 20 years.
